1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an attractant effective in relation to Tribolium confusum J.
2. Description of the Related Art
Tribolium confusum J. is a beetle generally known as a noxious insect parasitic on cereals. The beetle is parasitic not only on cereals such as flour, but also on secondary processed food (e.g., bread and cakes), and dried herbs, spices, zoological specimens, and the like. This beetle is therefore regarded as one of the most prominent indoor noxious insects, and there is a great demand for an effective method of preventing Tribolium confusum J. from living on, and removing it from, cereals, processed food, dried herbs, spices, and zoological specimens, and the like.
One of the methods which has been utilized to prevent noxious insects from living on, or removing them from, cereals is fumigation using compounds such as hydrogen phosphite, methyl bromide, DDVP, or the like. These compounds are harmful to humans, too. If they are applied indoors, they will be more harmful to humans than in an outdoor application. Hence, their use is limited to outdoor fumigation.
Recently, methods using the pheromones of specific insects, such as lure trapping, confusion and the like, are attracting much attention. These methods can be carried out simply by placing a dose of the attractant in a defined region, and are much easier than fumigation which is achieved by filling a limited space with a great amount of fumigate. In view of this, attraction methods are very useful in a workshop or a warehouse where many people are working. Many persons have been studying not only these methods but also the compounds to be used in these methods.
The inventors have found that 2,6-dimethyloctyl formate exhibits an attraction activity Tribolium castaneum H., and described an attractant containing this substance, which is claimed in Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 63-233942.
However, no one has yet provided an attractant which exhibits attraction activity for Tribolium confusum J. and which can be manufactured economically. The pheromone of Tribolium confusum J. is identified with 4,8-dimethyl decanal (T. Suzuki, Agric. Biol. Che., 44, 2519 (1980)). The structure of this substance, i.e., 4,8-dimethyl decanal, is so unstable that the substance can hardly be used as an attractant.